Arsenal FC manager Mikel Arteta is facing criticism after his decision to start Kepa Arrizabalaga proved costly in the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.
Any hopes of a potential quadruple for Arsenal this season suffered a major setback following a disappointing 2-0 loss at Wembley.
Arteta, often praised for his decisive approach, opted to stick with his cup goalkeeper Kepa rather than first-choice shot-stopper David Raya, despite the significance of the final.
That decision came under scrutiny after Kepa’s mistake led to the opening goal, as he failed to deal with a cross from Rayan Cherki, allowing Nico O’Reilly to score. City quickly added a second to secure the win.
In contrast, City goalkeeper James Trafford delivered an impressive performance, making a vital triple save to deny Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka, and keeping a clean sheet.
The selection decision became a major talking point after the match, with former striker Chris Sutton questioning the logic behind using a second-choice goalkeeper in such a crucial fixture.
Despite the setback, Arsenal remain in contention in the FA Cup, Premier League and UEFA Champions League, keeping alive their hopes of securing major silverware this season.
Attention now shifts to those competitions as the North London side looks to recover from the disappointment and finish the campaign strongly.